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Tory accuses SNP of intimidation

Tory accuses SNP of intimidation

The SNP has been accused of “intimidating” an academic who spoke out against Scottish independence.

The charge was levelled yesterday by Conservative leader Ruth Davidson after it emerged Sports Minister Shona Robison took exception to remarks made by Professor Chris Watley of Dundee University.

He is involved in a project to investigate issues raised by next year’s referendum and recently appeared at an event organised by the pro-UK Better Together group.

Ms Robison, MSP for Dundee East, is understood have asked university bosses whether his views were compatible with the neutrality of the organisation’s 5 Million Questions project.

Her intervention attracted an angry response from opposition parties and led to an open letter from leading academics, including Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, who are worried about freedom of speech. The letter stated: “It would be a very dangerous route to go down if the views of academics were required to be in conformity with the government of the day.”

Speaking at Holyrood, Ms Davidson said: “You say something the SNP doesn’t like and you can expect an intimidating contact.”

First Minister Alex Salmond said: “The accusation is total and utter nonsense.”